Carpenter&#39;s clamp.



'No. 688,!77. Patented Dec. 3, l90l. J. orasrmes, CABPENTERS CLAMP.

(Application filed Apr. 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

tlNTTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. JEFFRES, OF HORACE, NEBRASKA.

CARPENTERS CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,177, dated December 3, 1901.

I Application filed April 6, 1901. Serial No. 54,670. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN O. JEFFRES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Horace, in the county of Greely and State of Nobraska,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpenters Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a simple and effective clamp of novel construction for carpenters and joiners use to enable flooring and like work to be forced up close to provide a neat and tight joint and to hold the same while being nailed or otherwise secured to the joists, studs, or other supporting structure. The device is constructed most especially for carpenters use to facilitate the laying of floors and the construction of wooden partitions, the boards being driven up close together and held while nails or other fastenings are applied.

The device or clamp is constructed so as to be readily applied to and removed from joists, studs, and the like of diiferent size, this being essential in a device of this character.

Hence the contrivance comprises, essentially,

two parts, a clamp for attachment of the article to the joist or like support and a driver for forcing home the boards when in position.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for efiecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing it in operative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the clamp. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by thesame reference characters.

The device comprises a stock 1, consisting of a bar or plate, a cam-lever 2 at one end of the bar, an adjustable stop 3 at the opposite end of the bar, and a driving or forcing mechanism, the same consisting of a lever 4, pivoted to the stock 1, and a dog 5, pivoted to the lever 4. The stop 3 is pivoted to a slide 6, consisting of a frame of approximately form and embracing three sides of the stock 1, the stop 3 being pivoted to the open or fourth side and adapted to bind upon the adjacent side of the stock, so as to hold the stop in an adjusted position. This stop 3 may be frame 6 in such a manner as to bind upon and clamp the stock when the stop 3 is in an approximately horizontal position, thereby holding it in the required position.

The cam-lever 2 is pivoted to the side of the stock 1 from which the stop 3 projects and acts in conjunction with the stop 3 to clamp the joist 7 or equivalent part to which the boards 8 are to be secured. The stop 3 is adjusted with reference to the cam-lever 2 and width of the joist 7 so that when the cam-lever occupies an approximately horizontal position the part 7 is firmly clamped between the parts 2 and 3, thereby fixing the position of the clamp.

The means for driving or forcing home the boards 8 consist of the lever 4, pivoted at one end to an end portion of the stock 1, and the dog 5, the latter pivoted to the lever 4 a short distance from the stock 1. After the clamp has been properly positioned the end of the dog 5 is engaged with the proximal edge of the board 8 to be forced home and the lever 4 is operated to bring the dog 5 into contact with the board to insure its close fit against the matching board. The parts are so located that when the board to be secured in place has been forced home the lever 4 will occupy an approximately horizontal position and the pivotal connection between the dog low a straight line passing through the extremity or point of contact of the dog 5 with the board 8 and the pivotal connection of the operating-lever with the stock 1, thereby providing a lock-joint which will prevent the rebound of the lever 4 when released. This enables the clamp to be left unattended while of wood or metal and is pivoted between the free ends of the legs or side members of the 5 and lever 4 will be about in line with or be- IOO vnailing or otherwise securing the board.

After the stop 3 has once been adjusted to a joist 7 or equivalent part of uniform and like width it is not necessary to shift the same, and to release the clamp or to secure it in position when shifted it is only necessary to manipulate the cam-lever 2, as will be readily understood. Hence the device can be quickly moved from one joist to another or from one position to another upon the said joist as the work progresses and as may be required.

It will be observed that the levers-4 and 2 are pivotally mounted upon the .same fulcrum, preferably formed by reducing the outer end portion of an arm projected laterally from the upper end of the stock, a cotter-pin holding them to place by passing through an opening in the said fulcrum. As a result of thus mounting the levers the strain is in a measure neutralized upon the fulcrum when the board last placed in position is forced up and the levers lie in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a clamp, a stock, a driving mechanism and a clamp member at one 'end of the stock, and an adjustable clamp member at the opposite end of the stock, the same comprising a |-shaped slide to embrace three sides of the stock, and a stop pivoted between the side members of the slide and adapted to bind against the fourth side of the stock, substantial] y as described.

2. In a clamp, a stock, a clamp member at one end of the stock, acam-lever at the opposite end of the stock and constituting the other clamp member, an operating lever mounted upon the same fulcrum with the cam-lever, and a dog pivoted to the operating-lever a short distance from its fulcrum, the operating-lever extending in a diametrically opposite direction to the cam-lever when the work is clamped, and the pivotal connection between the dog and operating-lever being about in horizontal line with the fulcrum of the lovers to form a lock-joint, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN O. JEFFRES. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

THOMAS P. LANIGAN, 'ELIAS W. JEFFRES. 

